“Feed, Pietro.”
“No!” Hard fingers dug into her shoulders, trying to push her away, but she was stronger than him and could hold her ground.
“You won’t harm me; I’m part vampire too, remember. I’m immune to both your toxin and the poison you ingested. You need to eat now, Pietro! Please take what I offer freely.”
“Cassia, I can’t… not from you.” The words were ground out, longing and disgust evident in his voice. The urgency in his body and hands were reaching fever pitch; he was alternating between attempting to push her away and trying to pull her closer.
“There is no one else here you trust enough, Pietro, no one that could withstand your toxin. Let me do this for you. Let me help sustain you until you’re healed enough to take care of yourself.” Never in her entire life had Cassia wanted anything the way she wanted to feel his fangs break her skin. She wanted, no, needed to know that it was her life essence which nourished this wounded warrior-who, even now-was so proud that he was trying to remain her protector, to fulfil the role he’d been assigned.
Her wolf wanted it too, clawing at her insides until it created a physical ache. It howled and snapped, snarling as it tried to assert dominance and force the male to do as he was told. “Please, Pietro.”
Cassia cried out as his fangs sliced through the fragile skin of her neck, sinking deep inside her. Pietro pulled deeply as if he was ravenous, his strong suckling sending a frisson of molten lava flooding straight through her body to pool between her thighs. Her breasts swelled painfully, her nipples hardening and aching for his touch. Her arousal was instant-and unmistakable, eliciting a deep rumble from the vampire as he swallowed down her blood, his large hand moving to cup one of her breasts.
“Pietro!” Cassia moaned out his name as she pressed against his hand, trying to mould her body to his intense heat and strength. He pushed his hand up under her shirt and as his fingers enveloped her bare breast, he squeezed it firmly. “Dear God…”
Long fingers tugged at her hard peak, deftly rolling and pinching the nipple as he growled and drank more of her essence, his touch becoming bolder the deeper he drank. A kaleidoscope of colours danced in front of Cassia’s eyes as she rubbed against his thigh, frantic to feel some relief from the deep hunger that was assaulting her body. Pietro accommodated her, thrusting his thigh roughly against her apex, pressing his hand tightly against her lower back to help her ride out her passion.
She was mindless, nothing but a bundle of sensations. She wasn’t even aware that Pietro had stopped feeding, that his lips were moving downwards as he bent his head to her breast and sucked her taut peak into his mouth. Cassia exploded instantly, crying out her release as she climaxed harder than she could ever remember before. Her body danced with pleasure, each nerve ending alive as her vampire continued to suckle at her breast, continued to use his jean clad thigh to bring her release.
It was over much too soon, her body trembling from the intensity of her climax. Pietro’s strong arms were only thing keeping her on her feet as she came down slowly from her high. Slowly, reason began to exert itself, and the enormity of what had just happened started to seep in. Cassia couldn’t look at him. She was too embarrassed by her wanton reaction to his bite and didn’t want to see the expression on his face. He refused to be deterred, though, placing a finger beneath her chin to tilt her face up.
“First time with a vampire?” There was no condemnation in his eyes; in fact, they sparkled with what looked like pained amusement.
She nodded because her mouth refused to cooperate and form the words she wanted to say.
“That’s why I was so reluctant, Cassia. Not because I didn’t appreciate your generous offer, but because I didn’t think you were aware of the consequences. A vampire bite brings such euphoria that the female often comes just from the bite itself. If my hunger hadn’t descended so rapidly, I would have warned you in advance. I’m sorry, Nina. You shouldn’t feel embarrassed. I should ask your forgiveness for placing you in this awkward position.”
His words offered a small level of comfort. It was nice to know that she hadn’t reverted back into a sex-starved teenager, unable to control her baser instincts. There was also a tenderness to his expression that astounded her, because it was the first glimpse of his softer side. The woman was drawn to that part of his personality, as was the wolf, which was ready to roll over and have its tummy tickled. What had he just called her? Nina? She would have to look that up because she had no idea of its significance.
“I’ll discuss feeding options with Andrei when I get back to the compound. I won’t impose on you again.”
Everything within her rebelled at the idea and she couldn’t have cleared her expression if she’d tried. “My offer is still open to you, Pietro. I haven’t retracted it.” He was frowning before she’d even finished talking.
“Are you trying to get me killed? Have you any concept of what Alexei would do to me if he knew I’d laid hands on his daughter? This isn’t a game, Cassia. Your father is one of my oldest friends. You are his little girl and always will be, no matter how grown up you are.”
Cassia smiled at his choice of words, a surge of happiness bubbling up inside. He hadn’t said an outright ‘no’ to her and didn’t appear to realise that. Oh, he was concerned about how her father would react if he found out, but there was no scent of fear as he’d spoken. There was a hint of defiance in his eyes that belied what he’d said, and she took courage from that, stepping back into his embrace.
“Leave my father to me, Pietro. If Andrei can let go of Lily so she can be with Mac, then my father can adapt to whomever I choose to be with. I’m no novice in matters of the heart. He is well aware of that fact, and so far he’s managed not to kill off any of my previous lovers. I enjoyed what happened today. I want to experience it again.”
Her vampire drew in a deep breath, and she could see the fire in his eyes as he leaned down until their foreheads touched. “This is not a wise move, Nina. There may only be heartache to come from this. I can offer you this moment, but that is all it would be: a moment. I have nothing else to give.”
It was more than Cassia could have hoped for so early into her seduction of her vampire. “All I’m offering is to replenish your strength when you need it, Pietro. In return, I will know a pleasure I have never experienced before and I will have access to you to aid me in finding the antidote to the poison. This benefits us both, doesn’t it?”
His intent gaze bored into her for a long moment and then his hand cupped the nape of her neck as he sealed their bargain with a kiss so gentle that she barely felt him graze her lips. “I hope we both know what we’re getting ourselves into.”